PCBI’s Dr. Alejandro Mojica reveals how it’s done—the right way.

1. ACQUISITION OF QUALITY PLANTING MATERIALS

• At the right age (should have 6-8 pairs of leaves; more or less 1 year in the nursery from the time it was sown)
• Hardened (placed under the sun 1 – 2 months before planting in the field)
• Suited to the right elevation:

For Arabica – elevation should be 1000 m or more meters above sea level
For Robusta, Liberica and Excelsa – < 800 meters above sea level

2. LAND PREPARATION

• The land should be cleared by removing weeds and unnecessary trees that cannot be used as shade.
• Newly opened area for planting should be intensively cleaned.

3. FIELD LAYOUTING

• The layout of the field should be prepared following the recommended planting distances:

For Arabica – 2m x 2m (monocropping); 2m x 3m or 2m by 5m if vegetables will be intercropped
For Robusta – 2m x 3m (monocropping) or 3m x 3m with intercrops
For Liberica & Excelsa – 3m x 4m (monocropping) or 4m x 4m with intercrops

4. HOLING/HOLE PREPARATION

• The hole should be dug at least 60cm x 60cm to provide a good room for root development.
• The holes should be backfilled with top soil and add compost.
• Ideally, the holes should be left for two months before planting. This allows the nutrients to be available for the new tree.

5. TRANSPLANTING OF SEEDLINGS

• Planting of coffee seedlings should be done during the cloudy days, in June through August, during the wet season. Avoid planting seedlings when the conditions are windy or hot and dry or during the hottest time of the day.
• Before planting, the trees should be thoroughly watered in the bags.
• The plastic bag should be removed when planting.
• The seedling should be placed upright in the hole. Do not plant at an angle.
• The soil should be firmly pressed with your feet.

6. MULCHING
Coffee plants should be mulched with a rice straw or other appropriate material to maintain the moisture of the soil.

7. FERTILIZATION
The soil should be fertilized by basal application using the following recommended nutrient composition: